MILLION VETERANS MARCH

MILLION VETERANS MARCH

Lead

[-]

Posts: 392

Feb 15 05 6:50 PM

Unless there is clear evidence of veteran experience, stop talking with Staff and start asking for and talking directly to the Senator and Representative themself. They don't respond, write a letter to the editor of your local and state leading newspaper. Send the Senator or Representative a certified letter "to be opened by addressee only".

Let's see some creative thinking

- like a VBN reunion at the reflecting pool bewteen WWII memorial and VV memorial - what are the rules for getting a permit from the park service - does it cost money or can someone just apply for say 5,000 people and have them show up for a pick up social hour or two. How many folks can just come by with a six pack and sit down to talk about what needs to be done and how to do it. Does it cost us anything to be there, be seen and be heard. Lets see some creative thinking - April May - September-October. Stop the finger pointing and let's do some talking and walking.

dont forget the media, if enough people email them they will take up the cause. IMUS hammered away for death gratuity pay up grade for families. I emailed him a email about I/Us, if we send short messages they will reply, but they must be in volume. Let's keep hammering away at it, last week I called three senators office one was Reid.

Positive attitude. One person today, two people tommorrow, three the day after. all it take is one to start, show the leadership that is necessary and the rest will follow. Look to Rolling Thunder. How did it start - as I recall I always thought (until recently) that it was a bunch of motorcycle gangs trying to influence the nation, or maybe just Jsutice, DEA, and ATF, that they were not all bad guys. Look at what it is today.

I have a query out to a former Chief of the Park Police to see what the reuirements are, so that I do not have to spend a lot of time rooting through the Interior department web site. No answer by the end of the week I will go to plan B, root through the Interior department web site.

Besides - you can't win if you don't play - what else were you going to do on Veteran';s Day 2005. Come on by abd I'll buy you a beer, even though I don't drink, and, if can, I'll give you a wienie dog or aburger, if they allow it on the mall. as much as I dislike going into D.C. I will meet you on the mall.

BTW, I have no personal or plitical interest in this. I have my 100 % VA IU with SMC-K, my piddly FERS retirement check >600, my social security disability amd my 80% CRSC. I am 60 going on 61, I hope and live alone in a quiet community with a waterview and access. The serenity and beauty I enjoy are enough for me. So I have nothing to gain except to help others - others before self comes to mind - and break bread with my brethern under arms. And if the fellows at Bestheda Naval Medical, Walter Reed Army, the Soliders and AIrmen's Home and the DC VA Hospital can't make it then maybe we can have some folks stop in and share with them.

I would like to think it is about a common bond we all share - service to the country that binds us together and then again maybe I am just to old and sentimental about some intangible concepts that I have come to realize I learned after 22 years in the Air Force. If so, then I have shared too much and, if it disturbs you, that I am sorry that I have taken your time and move ahead to search for the plan He has laid out for me.

I applaud your sincereity and enthusiasm...trust me, I have the same (and have probably been ini this fight longer than you would ever believe).

No need to tell me about Rolling Thunder...I am there (riding LA to DC) every year and know the founder, GySgt Jim Gregory quite well.

As for 22 years...I did 27 (and also a PH vet and "have mine" with 100% CRSC as well).

My point is...where are the IU folks? How many have told use they visited their Senator or Congressman or have chatted with them at the DC or home office? Where are the 10 - 40s??

I have been fighting this fight since 1996...two years after I retired. I am not giving up (though I have no interest either), but, really, Brudduhman...the rest need to get off the forums for a moment and start being activists instead of observers...know what I mean?

VBN has around 2500 members...certainly not that many regular posters.

Rolling Thunder darws 450,000 motorcycles and at least that many attendees/spectators. The cause...POW/MIA (and we have been at it since 1989!) We still do it...but the administration and congress seem to ignore even that much noise and that large a crowd...we atill have 1,800 plus MIA from Vietnam and Michael Scott Speicher MIA in Iraq since GW1.

Would we make an impact? I doubt it...I hate to say it in a negative tone, because I am not negative...just realistic.

I have said it over and over...each veteran must dog his congress critter relentlessly...and I mean relentlessly! We have to gain one more voice (that will be active and contact these critters) each day...contituent voices! (Trust me, CapWiz, VSOs, mass emails, etc. are useless...they are essentially anonymous and are not voters!)

I again applaud you, AFB...keep up the fight, and fight hard, loudly, and endlessly! I just don;t ever forsee a mass march of vets in DC...approximately 80% of disabled retirees are in the 10- 20% bracket (less than 16% are in the 90 -100% range)...they are silent lambs...without them, and without any real hope to influence the congress...it's all bitchin' and moanin' among fellow vets.

First, let me say, that if they have the march, I will get my butt there if I have to walk all the way from WA State.
Second:
I'm tired of hearing about calling/writing our elected officials. Hell, they got our vote, now what do they need us for?
I am going to do all I can to make it known here in my area about what is happening with the CRDP for IU, and the possible loss of medical care from the VA. I have to drive 120 each way to get treatment. Even though I am covered under Fee Basis, MD's here will not take it because of the lack/slowness of VA to pay bills for Vets.
Maybe the VPA is the way to go, I surely will look into it.
Thanks for letting me say how I feel.

Corsair..."They" is you...you have a dog in the fight...organize the march/rally, whatever (I mean that sincerely and not as any slam)...meanwhile...the congress critters are always up for re0election...the POTUS will NOT be...

I am sorry, I was thinking, when I posted my original thought, that we would focus on them thar congress critters and invite the vet types to join us in an open discussion.

I was also thinking we could get some side workshops going with VA leadership to cover VA benefits so that folks could get the straight scoop from the top and we could tell th "suits" what they don't see is going on in the niderlands and on the ground were the boots meet the rubber (just full of those metaphors tonight ).

In this website, if I want to write the same letter to all of my congress persons, I just put in my zip code and then choose "compose my own message." It comes up with all three of my congress persons plus the President. I can de-select any I wish to.

This site will remember your information (home address, phone, email, etc) if you wish so that you do not have to enter it every time you email using their site. Or you can choose for them NOT to remember it. You can have a copy of your message sent to your personal email if you wish.

I have been told that a congress person pays much more attention to a message that is individually composed by one person rather than identical messages sent by many different persons.

I also sometimes phone my congress persons. However, I do not phone Washington, D.C. (which is long distance for me). I merely look up their local phone numbers in the Omaha directory. I give my verbal message to whomever answers the phone. However, my experience is that I get more response and attention from my emails.

These days writing a letter through the regular mails is very slow in reaching your congress persons as all such mail has to go through screening for possible anthrax, etc.

I would not be able to go to D.C. myself right now due to my husband's health situation and my own health situation. (We are both disabled vets.) I'm sure that many other disabled vets are in the same boat as we are.

My husband and I would both be there. Anything, anything at all to make the citizens of our country aware of what Vets are going through. And, if there are those that can't do it for themselves, please do it for the men and women that are coming right behind us. Lets effective change, together, so they won't have to experience what we are experiencing.

I'd also like to take a moment to thank all those Vets out there who have battled and fought to make changes in the system, as I'm sure I am enjoying the rewards of your sweat and tears. I'm certain I have it better and easier than the Vets who came before me.

After reading all the posts concerning this issue, I'm left with two thoughts:

1. Yes it's been tried before, and maybe the results were not as great as expected......does that mean it can't be successful this time???????????

2. I've often stated, I DO BELIEVE it will take some monumental embarrassment (either from VETS or THE PRESS or the AMERICAN PUBLIC, or a combination of these), to get this administration, Congress and the Senate to DO THE RIGHT THING!!!!!!!!!!

IF this can be organized, I'm thinking one of the major holidays we celebrate (July 4th, VETS DAY, Memorial DAY), it could be HIGHLY EFFECTIVE.........at this point "what do we have to lose"?????????????

We do need to do something.........unless WE ARE content to WAIT.............4 more years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lets get something organized and get moving on it......